Adjusting to Freedom
by ShinraSorceress
Summary: Mako Sotel is an Octoling that heard the Calamari Inkantation roughly two years ago. Now, finally fed up with the militant Octarian society, she decides that her best move is to leave her entire life behind and head for the great city, Inkopolis.
1. Prologue

Hey, everyone. Thanks for taking the time to read this. If you have any constructive criticism about my writing or story, please feel free to leave a review or send me a pm. For now, enjoy the prologue.

* * *

"Stop, get that thing away from me!"

Mako Sotel desperately wrenched her arms wildly in an attempt to free herself from the two Octolings pinning her down, but their grip was like iron. Her eyes blinked back and forth between the two and the eerie goggles that they were wearing, while a third Octoling loomed ever closer with another pair of goggles in her hands.

"No! Go away! I don't want to- No! Nooooo!"

As the goggles slipped over Mako's eyes, she heard a song playing from speakers built into the headwear. Mako stopped fighting back. How could she, when that lovely melody was so enchanting?

* * *

"It's time to... D-D-D-DROP THE SEA BASS!"

What? Who was that?

"GHHROOOORUGH! How dare you!"

The yell was followed by the sounds of weapons and a series of explosions. Was somebody fighting?

"What's this? Where mah beats?!"

Singing? What was this song?

Mako's body slowed from it's dead sprint to a light jog before coming to a complete stop.

It sounds great...

Mako's body collapsed to its knees as her fingers slowly reached for her temples.

Mako had never heard anything like this before. It was beautiful.

Mako grasped the goggles that were still covering her face, her breathing becoming more and more ragged as she attempted to tear back some measure of control. "Get o-out of my h-head!" she roared as she finally managed to tear away the horrible device that had stolen her free will.

"I'MA DUBSTOMP YOU INTO OBLIVION!"

Her breath shaky, Mako looked in the direction she'd been running before she'd wrestled back control. She seemed to be somewhere just beyond the outskirts of Octoburg, where an Inkling was fighting that despot Octavio while two other Inklings were singing. Octavio had just fired a massive missile at the Inkling kid, meaning she was probably dead.

Mako found herself enraptured by this new song that had freed her mind by drowning out the goggles. Something about it made her want to move. Mako allowed herself to get lost in the music as it built to a mighty crescendo. As the song reached its exclusive ending, she heard Octavio speak again. Turning to face the man in the distance, she saw his machine was breaking down.

"Oh no... So sad... Cross-fade...to black..."


	2. Preview Note to Readers

I've decided to move over to archive of our own. For any future chapters, please head over to: /works/16119278/chapters/37655732

Feel free to enjoy a little sneak peak at the next chapter until then.

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Sunlight bled into the bedroom between the partially cracked slats of the blinds, illuminating a still Inkling girl laying on a bed that was far larger than she reasonably might have needed. The blue-haired form was on her stomach, one arm draped over the edge of the bed. An alarm clock sat on a nearby nightstand, playing some insufferable song.

With a groan, the girl raised her only arm that wasn't trapped under her own head and slammed an open palm onto the alarm clock, praying that was enough to shut the thing up. Blissful silence followed, which was in turn followed up with a sigh of relief before the girl nestled back into a comfortable position. Unfortunately, the peace didn't last very long, as the alarm clock began playing music from the same station once again. Damn it, she'd only managed to hit the snooze button. Why that thing was so much larger than the tiny off button was entirely beyond her.

"Fiiiine!" the girl screeched.

Pushing herself into a sitting position, the girl tried to blink away the exhaustion from her eyes before looking to the clock. It was about a quarter past 10. Apparently her alarm had gone off only 4 times before she'd managed to pull herself out of her stupor today. Nice!

She was about to turn off her alarm when the song on the radio ended and Ebb and Flow came on. Deciding to let the music play, the girl instead turned up the volume dial high enough that the music could be heard throughout her small apartment. Quickly checking the phone beside the alarm, she saw that she had a couple texts from a friend.

 **9:03 - Chant**

waky waky elly! hope u didnt 4get our trip 2day :3

i guess ur not awake yet. lazy girl! shoot a text when you wake up!

Elly stared at the text for a moment.

"Shit!" she shouted as she ran for her linen closet as she hastily typed out a reply, not even bothering to make sure what she sent was decipherable.

 **10:23 - Elly**

omg im so irey getijgn in shiwet nic omq

After a lightning quick shower, Elly ran to her room and threw on the first presentable outfit she could think of, a simple red Tentatek top and black leggings. Jamming her phone into her purse, she ran to the front door and slammed her feet into a pair of beige slip-on shoes that matched her purse and ran out the door toward the monorail station, her two trimmed tentacles flapping behind her.

"Please don't be too late, please don't be too late, please don't be too late!" she chanted. The next train to Longfin Station wasn't for another hour, so if she missed the 10:45 run, she'd have to wait far too long to make it to the mall. She did *not* have time for that. She was already late enough. Missing her train was not going to help that.

With the monorail station in sight, Elly rooted through her purse to find her wallet. As she arrived at the counter, she noted the time on the clock hung on the wall. 10:41. She'd cut that too close. "Excuse me, could I get a ticket for the 10:45 to Longfin Station?"

The Inkling behind the counter gave her a knowing grin. "Of course, Miss."

After a small amount of fiddling, Elly received her ticket from the man. As she turned to run to the train, she heard him say, "Running late again?"

"Yeah! Sorry, can't talk! Have a great day!"

Elly let out a massive sigh of relief as she boarded the train. After finding a seat, Elly grabbed her phone from her purse and checked her texts.

 **10:26 -Chant**

wat r u talking bout

 **10:31 - Chant**

ooooooooooh

omg did u rly 4get? ur not gona mis the train again r u XD

Elly let out a second sigh as she rolled her eyes and started tapping away on her phone.

 **10:47 - Elly**

I made it on the train thanks you. I totally forgot to change my alarm clock. Didn't wake up till half an hour agi.

Ago

Elly took in a deep breath as she lay her head back only to be greeted with a rancid smell, similar to rotting eggs, from the cloaked woman in yellow beside her. *Are you kidding me?* she thought as she desperately tried to keep herself from retching. Luckily, this particular time for this route didn't see too much traffic, so she could just carefully make her way to the back of the train. *Who the shell wears a cape of all things, anyway?*


End file.
